The Return
by snarkysweetness
Summary: Team Neverland returns, disturbing Belle and Jefferson's life.


**Title: **The Return  
**Author:** snarkysweetness  
**Rating: **PG-13  
**Characters:** Jefferson, Belle, Grace, Penelope, Ruby, & Rumps; Belle/Jefferson & Belle/Rumpelstiltskin (kind of)  
**Summary:** Team Neverland returns, disturbing Belle and Jefferson's life.  
**Warnings: **You all had to know this was coming.  
**Disclaimer:** I own nothing.  
**Author's Notes:** Oy, I'm officially a Mad Beauty person, aren't I? Julie better be a Wooden Swan person now or I'm going to be mad. This is part 4 in the Mad Beauty Chronicles.

"Belle, I'm sorry, I tried to warn you but you didn't answer the phone-"

"Rumple?"

Belle didn't know what she'd expected to find when her best friend had used her key to come storming into the house but it wasn't to look over her shoulder and to find her former love standing in the walkway. Her former love that had yet to age a day since the last time she'd seen him though it had been years. Grace had been only a girl then and she was a woman now. It finally struck her how unnatural being magically stuck in time was.

"Belle," he sighed in relief. "You weren't home and I got worried. Why are you with the mad-"

"This is my home now," she said, cutting him off. She glanced towards Ruby who mouthed 'I'm sorry'.

"I was out for a run and they just sailed up to the harbor…"

"Go," Belle insisted.

"No, I can-"

"Snow and Emma are back, you need to go to them." She wasn't Ruby's only best friend and Penelope wasn't her only goddaughter. Belle would never dare to ask Ruby to sacrifice having a proper reunion with them just for her.

Ruby gave her hand a squeeze before turning and giving Rumple a cold, hard stare.

"You don't own her, you'd do well to remember that," she warned before leaving them.

Belle usually didn't approve of Ruby's over-protectiveness but she appreciated it. Especially now, when she had no idea how this would go and the only thought she could muster was 'fuck'.

"What do you mean this is your home now?" He walked towards her with his cane and she chewed her lower lip nervously. She knew she had loved him, truly loved him once, and a part of her would always love him. She also knew that comparing him to Jefferson was unfair but the fact was that as much as she'd loved him, she'd forgiven too much; turned a blind-eye too many times. She knew this now. She believed he could be a good man but he needed to choose to be one first. She couldn't force him to be someone he didn't want to be, not for her. It wasn't fair.

And even if he was the most selfless, wonderful man in this world, he'd left her.

She respected his reasons why but they didn't change the fact that he'd chosen to leave her and it had been years. He couldn't honestly expect her to wait for him all of these years? Not knowing if he was dead or alive? She was a different person now and she hated to hurt him but that was what she was prepared to do.

"Rumple, I-"

"Mommy! Mommy!"

Belle instinctively turned and scooped Penelope into her arms. Rumple could wait, she was a mother now first. Penelope and Grace were the only people that truly mattered anymore.

"What is it, sweetheart?" Penelope buried her face in Belle's neck while Belle stroked her hair. She trembled in Belle's arms and Belle's heart ached. She couldn't bear to see her baby in pain.

"There's a monster in my room."

Belle wished she could tell her there was no such thing but she knew better. She did however doubt there was an actual monster in her room, those tended to make themselves known very quickly.

"Did you see the monster? What did it look like?"

"It was in my dream," she cried.

"Oh sweetheart, monsters can't hurt you in your dreams."

Penelope sniffled.

"Promise?"

"I promise," Belle said with a sad smile. She knew full well they could haunt you and torment your mind, but they couldn't physically hurt you. Someday, when she was older, Belle would explain those truths to her, but for now, that explanation would do.

"But I'm still scared," she whimpered as she pulled away with a frown. Belle smiled. She and Jefferson had the same poutiness about them.

"It's okay to be scared."

"Belle?" A trembling voice asked.

She hitched Penelope to her hip and looked towards Rumple. She'd forgotten he was there for a moment. He watched her, half-angry, half-confused as she studied Penelope, as if searching her features for some trace of Belle or answers to his questions.

"Is she-"

"She's mine." Belle said protectively, holding her close. She didn't believe he was the monster everyone made him out to be, but she also knew he could be one when he felt threatened or hurt.

"How old is-"

"Oh for God's sake, Rumple, she's not yours," Belle rolled her eyes. He took notice of the ring on her finger and stammered for a moment.

"Princess! Where are you?" Jefferson called in a sing-song voice as he basically skipped into the room. "You're supposed to be nap-" He stopped in his tracks and all of the air in the room went cold. "Grace!" He cried. When there was no answer he called for her again, angrily this time.

"Jesus, papa, what do you-"

"Take your sister." He commanded, still staring Rumple down.

"Why-"

"Now!"

Grace took notice of Rumple finally and the fear was evident on her face. Everyone knew him as the Dark One, she knew him as the Dark One and the man who probably now wanted to murder her father.

"Come on Penny, Pinocchio wrote you that new storybook for your birthday; I'll read it to you." Belle handed her over as Rumple lifted a finger.

"You're her father?" He accused.

"Mommy, I'm scared of the monsters," Penelope whined as she resisted going to her sister. She squirmed out of Grace's arms and landed on her butt. Her lower lip quivered and Belle moved to her knees, helping her up.

"It's okay, sweetheart, go with your sister."

Grace took Penelope's hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Come on, Granny brought over brownies this morning."

"Don't worry, princess, daddy will make sure all of the monsters are taken care of," Jefferson said flatly. The look on his face was frightening. It reminded her of the hatter but she knew it was all Jefferson. She'd never seen him look so…protective? Angry? Murderous?

Once the girls were out of earshot Jefferson stepped in front of her.

"Leave."

"I came here to find Belle not-"

"She's got a family now, you have no right to-"

"The last time I checked, madman, the lady and I were involved. You do remember how True Love works? Or has it been so long since you led that poor, crazy wife of hers to her death that you've forgotten that you only get the one? She may have grown bored in my absence, but I'll be taking her home no-"

"You will do no such thing!"

Belle nudged Jefferson out of the way and stood her ground. She appreciated that he wanted to protect her and their children, especially since she'd been weighing the decision on whether or not to have another one, but she could take care of herself.

"You haven't changed one bit, Rumple. I never promised to be here, waiting for you. It's been nearly ten years; did you really think I'd still be in the library, pining for you? I loved you but you chose to leave. And I don't blame you, I would do anything for my girls, but it doesn't change the fact that you left me.

I'm sorry, Rumple, I…I did love you, but I had to move on with my life. This is my home now, with Jefferson and our girls. I know this is a shock and you're hurt and I'm sorry but…I'm not Milha, I'm not going to abandon my children for you.

You want to talk about 'True Love'? That's the truest love there is Rumple, a mother's love."

"You never loved me," he spat. "How long did you wait before jumping into bed with this vagrant-"

"Years," Jefferson interjected. "I watched this woman you claim to love fall apart and nearly lose who she was mourning you. Don't you dare accuse her of not loving you," he growled. "Things happen, mate, people move on. Lashing out at her because you're not getting your way isn't the way to deal with it."

"I'm speaking to Bel-"

"No, you're speaking to my wife and it will be a cold day in Hell before I allow anyone to speak to her that way, especially you. This is my house and my family and you need to learn your place. You can't bully your way through life anymore, Rumpelstiltskin."

"Jefferson," Belle said gently as she placed a hand on his arm. She knew Rumple. He lashed out when he was hurt, true, but she could take it. She hated doing this to him but...this was how her life was meant to be, with Jefferson and the girls and sometimes, people got hurt along the way. She didn't like it but she'd learned to stop idealizing everything. Life was messy and unfair and choices had consequences that you had to live with. Magic couldn't fix everything. She could see Rumple begin to understand that he'd lost her and she knew he needed time to process that fact, not to get into a sparring match with Jefferson.

"You're happy? Here? With him?" Rumple asked finally.

She nodded as she clutched Jefferson's hand.

He watched her for another moment before turning to walk away. Her heart broke for whom else but she could learn to love him? She was throwing him back into a lifetime of loneliness and the only consolidation she could think of was that at least he now had his grandson.

She gave Jefferson's arm a squeeze before releasing him. She rushed after Rumple.

"Wait!"

He turned and she threw her arms around his neck, hugging him fiercely.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, close to tears. He froze in surprise but after a moment hugged her back. "I really did love you, Rumple. I'll always love you. But things happened the way they were supposed to and I know it's not the same but at least you have Henry now and-"

"It's alright, my darling Belle. I understand. I allowed my son to get away from me and I would never ask you to leave your child."

She sniffled and hugged him harder.

"I'm sorry."

"I love you Belle. Go, be happy. But know this, if he ever hurts you in any way-"

"Oh Rumple, stop it," she said with a sigh as she pulled away. She shook her head and wiped her eyes quickly.

He gave her a sad smile before placing a hand on her cheek.

"Goodbye, Belle."

He limped away and Belle felt guilt and agony and pain eat away at her. Were it not for Jefferson's arms finding her just when she needed them she would be a weeping mess curled up on the grass.

"Come, I'll make you some tea and you can…I'm sorry, Belle."

She shook her head and hugged him tightly.

"It's fine, I just….want to see the girls." She insisted. Jefferson took her hand and with one arm still wrapped around her led her into the house. He let her go so he could lock the door and she watched him for a moment. She could see his uneasiness and she called out to him.

"Jefferson?" He latched the deadbolt and turned to her.

"Yes?"

"I have no regrets."

He gave her a small smile.

"Never thought you did," he lied. She sniffled and held her hand out for him. He wasn't her first love but she was happy to have him as her last.


End file.
